Are Allegri’s errors are costing AC Milan?

A day after seeing a former star in Zlatan Ibrahimovic tear England apart with an amazing four goals, the AC Milan fans across the world will surely be feeling the sobering effect of what they once had. During matchday 12 in Serie A last season the Rossoneri were second having only lost two games, this time around they have already lost six and sit in 13th place.

So the question is… Are Milan no longer a team capable of challenging for the Scudetto? Or even getting into the top three?

In Allegri’s defence he has done very well in his first two seasons then seen the quality of his squad massively downgraded and still told to challenge at the same level, this is just unrealistic and unfair on the man. However, with the recent home game with Fiorentina as a perfect example, he dosent seem to help himself in these situations.

In the build up to the match many expected the in-form Bojan to be selected after he seemed to be having a resurgence of his old Barcelona form in recent weeks, instead Kevin-Prince Boateng was selected, in what proved to be Allegri’s first mistake. During the game Boateng showed immaturity that should have been stamped out of his game by now (seeing as he is now 25) it was often like wathcing an 18 year old in a youth match as was the level of unprofessionalism shown by him.

On many occasions ‘The Prince’ often kept the ball when others were in better positions and took a strike at goal from an unlikely range, it must have made Vincenzo Montella delighted at the growing frustration in the Milan ranks due to this all to regular wastefulness from the former Ghana International.

The second error was the inclusion of Daniele Bonera again, who was slow and leggy throughout the match and was extremely lucky not to be sent off just before half time for a definite yellow card offence that would have been his second of the day.

Equally as poor was his defensive partner Philippe Mexes, whose non-existent tackle against Borja Valero allowed his to ghost through and get the second just before half time. Milan fans worldwide must be crying out for Acerbi to be given more of a chance because the pairing of Bonera and Mexes looked transparent at times.

The third mistake on Allegri’s part was the choice to play Emanuelson on the right hand side during the game. The Dutch midfielder is versatile and has been one of Milan’s better players this season however in this match he was unsuited to the right hand side and tactically he was useless during the game. Throughout the match whenever he was found on the right hand side he would cut inside onto his left foot… EVERY time.

After the first few times he did this the Fiorentina defenders read him like a book for the rest of the half, for me he has the capabilities to play on the right if only he would use his right foot more often or he should be switched to the left side. Because he was always blocked off by the clever Fiorentina defence, and as a result he offered no attacking outlet during the half, thus the manager should have acted on this, but instead Allegri left things and it left Milan hopelessly imbalanced.

All in all the Fiorentina match could have ended so differently, if Pato had scored the penalty just before half-time then maybe a different Milan would have emerged in the second half and really tested Fiorentina more. They kept possession well but it seemed like every attack that Fiorentina had, they scored.

It was an unlucky day for Milan but it emphasises the problems with a stubborn manager like Allegri who wont listen to the fans or react to player form, his days are numbered surely now after this start to the season and the obvious tactical mistakes he so often makes.

Who knows a defeat to Napoli on Saturday might prove to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.